Snowbirds Shorten Vacations

[spinDrAtl]

Our snowbirds are down for maybe the 6th year in a row and for the usual time - Jan 2 or 3rd until March 17 or so. In fact, every year when they leave, they mail the key back to us and ask to reserve for next year.

I was at the condo over New Year's and on the morning of Jan 2, it seemed as if the flood gates had opened. Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, etc. etc. I couldn't walk two feet without stepping on a snowbird.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I can see how the "snowbird" thing can really get to people...I'm a "snowbird". My husband and I were at a local restaurant a few days ago. There were two couples at the table next to us. When the wait person was in the vicinity of their table, one of the gentlemen said "Butter". The waiter person asked "Would you like some butter?" The gentlemen repeated "Butter". The young gentleman who was looking after their table replied "Yes Sir". In a short few seconds he returned with some butter. Lord I felt for that waiter. He was a gentle person.

Sounds like he was auditioning for a Parkay commercial

 

[Miss Kitty]

Sounds like he was auditioning for a Parkay commercial

...OMG...I thought the same thing, but couldn't remember the Parkay part!!!!

 

[Mermaid]

As for snowbird behavior, from what I see there are rude people and kind people in every age group and other category (class, profession, race, nationality, etc.). I'm sticking up for snowbirds everywhere and when I'm a snowbird I'm going to take VERY looooong vacations in SoWal in the winter and Tuscany in the summer. (And I'll hold my head high and proud when I order -- politely -- the dinner specials then go watch the sunset on the beach after dinner.)

I hope all of us Baby Boomers become considerate snowbirds. I was not impressed with the snowbirds we encountered on the way down to SoWal after Christmas. I don't know whether road fatigue figured into the equation, but at nearly every gas station we stopped at, the snowbirds we saw were not practicing the golden rule. One Michigan car with an older couple blocked not one but two pumps while they were going inside the store to get an ice cream cone after filling up their tank. That's only one story I could relate. It was really irritating sharing the road with them.

 

[Jdarg]

I love them! I have not run across any grumpy or rude ones yet. If you want some fun, stop at any condo complex at happy hour on a pretty warm day. They all meet each other outside and share a cocktail and the sunset, and they are so sweet and happy to be here, and chatty chatty!

BTW- just to explain, I am not trolling the condo complexes at happy hour to party with the snowbirds. I was doing some research for my mom's visit.

 

[kathydwells]

I love them! I have not run across any grumpy or rude ones yet. If you want some fun, stop at any condo complex at happy hour on a pretty warm day. They all meet each other outside and share a cocktail and the sunset, and they are so sweet and happy to be here, and chatty chatty!

BTW- just to explain, I am not trolling the condo complexes at happy hour to party with the snowbirds. I was doing some research for my mom's visit.

Sure Jenny, any excuse to party!!!

 

[Jdarg]

Sure Jenny, any excuse to party!!!

Dammit- you caught me.

 

[kathydwells]

Dammit- you caught me.

 

[port albert]

Funny...I thought they just tried to drive the rest of us crazy. I was eating at the Outback in Destin last night (my doctor told me to I needed red meat, and I couldn't think of anywhere else to get steak alone). Anyway, I was sitting next to a table of Snowbird couples. Both women had ordered chicken, and the men had ordered steaks. Both steaks were sent back because they were overcooked. The steaks came back, and one was not the cut of meat the gentleman had ordered, one was cold. Third steaks were the charm, but the ladies had finished their chicken, so one of the men suggested the women get free dessert "to make up for them having had to sit there for so long."

Oh, and the guy's opening remark to the waiter had been, "Oh, we thought you'd forgotten about us." They'd been waiting about two minutes.

*************Let me be sure that I understand your opinion. You seem to believe that it is ok for the restaurant to serve overcooked steaks and then replace them with cold or incorrect orders...but it is not ok for the customer to complain.

Perhaps each snowbird should invite a local to a northern locale where restaurants compete on quality and excellence of cuisine.....not on volume or big parking spaces for pickup trucks. Most restaurants in Walton would not last 90 days in more competitive communities.

 

[6thGen]

Funny...I thought they just tried to drive the rest of us crazy. I was eating at the Outback in Destin last night (my doctor told me to I needed red meat, and I couldn't think of anywhere else to get steak alone). Anyway, I was sitting next to a table of Snowbird couples. Both women had ordered chicken, and the men had ordered steaks. Both steaks were sent back because they were overcooked. The steaks came back, and one was not the cut of meat the gentleman had ordered, one was cold. Third steaks were the charm, but the ladies had finished their chicken, so one of the men suggested the women get free dessert "to make up for them having had to sit there for so long."

Oh, and the guy's opening remark to the waiter had been, "Oh, we thought you'd forgotten about us." They'd been waiting about two minutes.

*************Let me be sure that I understand your opinion. You seem to believe that it is ok for the restaurant to serve overcooked steaks and then replace them with cold or incorrect orders...but it is not ok for the customer to complain.

Perhaps each snowbird should invite a local to a northern locale where restaurants compete on quality and excellence of cuisine.....not on volume or big parking spaces for pickup trucks. Most restaurants in Walton would not last 90 days in more competitive communities.

I believe the point was that our friends from the north do not always display the Southern hospitality we've come to expect in the area. But since you mention it, the restaurant was Outback, and now that the parent company has been bought out by private equity, you can expect a ton of people fired, a bunch of money borrowed to jazz it up and put out a better product, and when they cannot borrow any more, an IPO.